McDonald's China responds to racist policies by branch staff

 McDonald’s China has issued several statements and apologies to press outlets after facing backlash for shockingly racist policies at one of its branches.

Attention had been drawn to the practices at a Guangzhou branch of the fast-food chain, where employees approached black patrons with a laminated note in English informing them that, citing COVID-19 health concerns, they would have to leave and advised them to seek out local police.

The notice read:

“We’ve been informed that from now on black people are not allowed to enter the restaurant. For the sake of your health consciously notify the local police for medical isolation, please understand the inconvenience caused.”

https://twitter.com/BlackLivityCN/status/1249011762638266374?s=20

When confirmation of this activity was posted to social media, outrage understandably ensued. McDonald’s has since issued responses to several media outlets.

Regina Hui, McDonald’s China’s VP of communications told The Washington Post, “McDonald's China apologises unreservedly to the individual and our customers."

The chain has announced that it has not only ceased these activities but temporarily closed the branch in question, seemingly presenting the racist behaviour as an isolated situation solely based on the failings of that particular branch’s management.

In another statement to Shanghaiist, McDonald’s China stated that the site’s closure was to allow onsite training programmes to promote “diversity and inclusion” and that all customers were welcome at the chain’s restaurants if they passed a temperature check and provided their health QR code.

The statement went on to read:

 “A mandatory training for all McDonald’s China employees and crew members is also in progress to ensure those values will be implemented and such an occurrence will be prevented from happening again.”

Though it would ordinarily be astounding that a branch of a major global brand like McDonald’s would enact such appalling behaviour, it is a symptom of a much more troubling issue of racism in the Chinese mainland. Following widespread anti-foreigner propaganda and online sentiment linking outsiders to the spread of COVID-19, there have been multiple reports of non-ethnically Chinese people being barred from entering businesses. China’s African migrant population has been particularly targeted as of late and in several cities including Guangzhou (which is home to the country’s largest black population), many have found themselves evicted from their lodgings before becoming persona non grata for services.

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